Sag Niemals Nie...and buy an U-Bahn Pass

Location: MUNICH, GERMANY


There is an English saying, "Never say never". Apparently, there is also a German translation...


Last night, I went out to eat with a few friends from the church group. One of the girls told us about how she had walked four hours to church that evening because she didn't have her S-bahn card. I said, "Well, I have never been checked for my card". She said, "Oh, I have been checked like six times. The S-Bahn they are dressed like police officers. But the U-Bahn ones, they are the scariest. They are dressed like normal people".


I thought of all the places I had ridden outside of my allocated circle, including the day before when I had gone to Dachau. That was about ten circles too far outside of my district. Just last weekend, I had just ridden the trains and disembarked when I felt like the ground above would be an interesting side trip. And I thought of all the "normal" people I had seen on the S and U-Bahns. How could I even know if they were, in fact, the "ticket police"?


On the train this morning, I was enjoying my coffee and about to get off at the next stop when a scruffy man with a long ponytail, said "Morgen". I looked at him as he rambled something else off in German. It was still before my German side of the brain kicks in and I was only half way through my coffee. Suddenly, I saw people around me pulling out their travel cards. I thought, "No way. Are you serious? I am actually getting carded". My heart dropped a little bit; I don't know why but being checked for proper identification in a foreign country by a man who looks like he belongs in a Daytona Beach biker organization is a little startling. I passed inspection and exited at the next stop.


On the way home, about two stops from mine, a larger man who smelt like vinegar elbowed his way into the already tightly crammed corner where I was standing. Suddenly, again, I saw him pull out his identification card and start checking for tickets. I managed mine out of a packed gepäck and watched as the Austrian man next to me was ticketed for not having his ticket. 


I came off the train and thought, "Sag niemals nie". Never Say Never.